Free bus travel for some Angus adults is being planned under a £150,000 scheme to help struggling households through the cost-of-living crisis.
It would be the first of its kind in Scotland.
Jobseekers, foodbank users and folk travelling to benefits appointments will able to board the bus for nothing.
Angus Council’s SNP administration will put forward the plan at a full council meeting on Thursday.
Authority leader Beth Whiteside said: “Though we can’t stop people’s mortgages or energy bills rising, we can remove the cost of travel.”
Where is the money coming from?
The cash is part of a £1.6 million Local Authority Covid-19 Economic Recovery (LACER) Angus support package from the Scottish Government.
In June, councillors agreed spending of around £1.4m on a range of projects.
It included £400,000 for one-off payments or fuel vouchers to the most vulnerable, £500,000 to tackle child poverty and £100,000 to support food agencies, including the Social Supermarket.
How will the free Angus bus scheme work and who is eligible?
Officials say Angus bus providers are on board with the free travel scheme.
Those are Stagecoach East Scotland, Wishart’s, Moffat and Williamson, JP Coaches and Shorts Travel.
The scheme will help:
- Adults from families in receipt of the school clothing grant
- Those in receipt of discretionary fund payments
- Foodbank users
- Adults in receipt of Universal Credit
- Folk returning to work after a period of unemployment
- People travelling to benefits appointments
Bus passes will only be allocated through referrals from council departments and other agencies.
Those include:
- Parental Engagement Officer
- Vibrant Communities Team
- Welfare Rights
- Voluntary Action Angus
- Job Centre
Welfare rights spokesman, Councillor George Meechan said: “We know that we must do all we can within our limited budget to support people this winter.
“Extending free bus travel in this way will help with the cost of getting around for work, further education, training and daily life.
“It will also help ease the burden on those who need support most, in tandem with our £1m package to help with rising costs.”
Council leader Beth Whiteside said: “This scheme will be the first of its kind anywhere in Scotland.
“Though we can’t stop people’s mortgages, or energy bills rising, we can remove the cost of travel.
“We have the chance to offer more direct help to those who need it most on Thursday, and I call on all councillors to back our proposals.”
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